That was funny

"If someone uses a gun, knife, or a pitch fork to aid in a crime, I'm OK if they throw the book at them."

There you go again! You want the person tried for the crime, rather than the inanimate weapon.

Sue

"I thought it was funny that schools and prisons were lumped together in the example."

Not so funny... most of the inmates aren't volunteers at either one. Mandatory public school, mandatory prison sentence -- not much difference. In real fact, there is a direct correlation between poor schooling and prison sentences.

Sue

I agree there. All types of weird stuff happens in the courts when the tool makes a huge difference on the severity of the sentence. Plus, there is more room for mistakes in justice.

Keep it simple. Try the person.

I looked up the Vermont law (okay, I used Wikipedia, so sue me) and it is the most commonsense thing I've seen in a long time (forever, for weapons).

VERMONT

No permit needed to purchase.
No registration unnecessary.
No 'assault weapon' law.
No owner license required.
May carry open or concealed without permit.
No NFA weapons restricted.

State Preemption of local restrictions, yes.

"Vermont has very few gun control laws. Gun dealers are required to keep a record of all handgun sales. It is illegal to carry a gun on school property or in a courthouse. State law preempts local governments from regulating the possession, ownership, transfer, carrying, registration or licensing of firearms.

"The term "Vermont Carry" is used by gun rights advocates to refer to allowing citizens to carry a firearm concealed or openly without any sort of permit requirement. Vermont law does not distinguish between residents and non-residents of the state; both have the same right to carry while in Vermont.

"The Vermont constitution of 1793, based partly on the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, guarantees certain freedoms and rights to the citizens: 'That the people have a right to bear arms for the defence [defense] of themselves and the State — and as standing armies in time of peace are dangerous to liberty, they ought not to be kept up; and that the military should be kept under strict subordination to and governed by the civil power.'"


"Alaska is the first state to adopt carry laws mimicking Vermont's (normally referred to as 'Vermont Carry'), in which no license is required to carry a handgun either openly or concealed. However, to be in complete compliance with Federal Gun Free School Zone act[citation needed], licenses are still issued to residents who want them for purposes of carrying in other states via reciprocity. The term 'Alaska Carry' has been used to describe laws which require no license to carry handguns openly or concealed but licenses are still available for those who want them. Some city ordinances do not permit concealed carry without a concealed carry license, but these have been invalidated by the recent state preemption statute."

Wish i could find it, but a few years back I read an article by some well know psychologist about the similarities between prisons and schools, both physically and psychologically.